Apparatus for cleaning an extrusion press container and for preventing spraying during cooling of the mandrel



Dec. 3, 1957 D. A. EDGECOMBE ,8

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AN EXTRUSION PRESS CONTAINER AND FOR PREVENTING SPRAYING DURING COOLING OF THE MANDREL Filed May 29, 1953 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1957 D. A. EDGECOMBE 2,815,127 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AN EXTRUSION PRESS CONTAINER AND FOR PREVENTING SPRAYING DURING COOLING OF THE MANDREL Filed May 29, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Illllll ||l.|||l ll ixllilllll Ill (\lillllllx x|| Dec. 3, 1957 n A. EDGECOMBE 2,815,127

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AN EXTRUSION PRESS CONTAINER AND FOR PREVENTING SPRAYING DURING COOLING OF THE MANDREL Filed May 29, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG?) INVENTOR ATTO R N EY United States Patent APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AN EXTRUSION PRESS CONTAINER AND FOR PREVENTING SPRAYING DURING COOLING OF THE MAN- DREL David A. Edgecomlbe, Beaver Falls, Pa., assignor to The Babcock & Wilcox Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 29, 1953, Serial No. 358,448

6 Claims. (Cl. 207-2) This invention relates to the extrusion of metal shapes and, more particularly, to automatically operable apparatus for cleaning an extrusion press container after an extrusion and for preventing spraying during cooling of the extrusion ram, subsequent to an extrusion.

In the formation of metal shapes by extrusion, a block or billet of metal at an elevated temperature is forced under high pressure to flow through a die having an opening corresponding to the desired cross-sectional shape of the extrusion to be produced. The temperature of the metal may be 2300 F., in the case of steel, by way of example.

In a typical extrusion press, a front and rear platen are held in accurately spaced relation with each other. Between the platens is mounted a billet container for movement toward and away from the forward platen. The rear platen supports a ram arranged to project into the container and force a billet therein to flow through the die. The latter is mounted in a die holder releasably engaged in a die carrier aligned with the container passage. This carrier is mounted for movement into and out of the forward platen to move the die into and out of operative relation with the exit or downstream end of the container.

When an extrusion is to be made, the container is moved forwardly to seat against the rear face of the forward platen. A die holder and die assembly is meanwhile mounted on the rear face of the carrier and the latter is moved rearwardly into the forward platen to engage the die in a recess in the forward end of the container and coaxial with the container passage. The car rier is then locked to the forward platen. After a heated billet has been loaded into the container, the ram, carrying a dummy block on its outer end, is moved forwardly under very high pressure to force the billet outwardly through the die. The extrusion is then severed and con veyed away from the press.

Due to the high pressures involved, particularly in the extrusion of steel, special lubrication of the billet, the container, and the die is necessary. In a typical steel extrusion press, the lubricant used is glass, either in the form of sheet glass or in the form of glass fibre shaped into plugs or sheets. Before a billet is loaded into the container, a glass fibre plug is placed in the container against the upstream surface of the die. While the heated billet is being delivered to the container, it is wrapped in a sheet or mat of glass fibre, after which it is charged into the container forcing the glass fibre plug against the die. One or more additional glass fibre plugs are then placed in the container behind the billet.

As the ram moves into the container to force the billet through the die, the high pressures involved in the extrusion stroke cause the glass to flow and thus form a lubricating surface between the billet and the wall of the container passage, and between the billet and the surface of the die. Following each extrusion, the die is removed and cleaned of adhering glass, a fresh die being mounted in the press. Some of the glass also ad ice heres to the surface of the billet passage in the container. The ram, which is usually tubular, is meanwhile retracted and a stream of coolant is forced through the ram under pressure to cool same between extrusion strokes.

The present invention is directed to means for cleaning out the container following each extrusion stroke, in combination with means providing a shield across the outer end of the ram to prevent the coolant being sprayed on the press parts, operating floor, and operating personnel. More specifically, a wheeled carriage is mounted on tracks secured to a pair of upper tie rods connecting the front and rear press platens in accurately spaced relation. This carriage has an electric motor thereon driving pinions meshing with racks extending along the tracks to move the carriage between a position adjacent the rear platen and a position adjacent the front platen. The carriage has pivotally mounted thereon laterally extending support arms which carry a bearing for an elongated shaft on the forward outer end of which is a series of radially disposed brushes. A motor on the carriage is provided to rotate the shaft and its brushes, the relation of parts being such that, in the dropped position of the supporting arms and bearing, the shaft is axially aligned with the container passage.

After retraction of the ram from the container passage following an extrusion stroke, the press operator actuates a control which causes a fluid pressure actuator to lower the shaft and brushes from their normally retracted position into alignment with the container passage. In the normally retracted position of the shaft and brushes, the latter are restrained out of the path of movement of the press components. After the shaft is thus aligned with the container passage, the shaft driving motor is energized to rotate the shaft and brushes, and the carriage driving motor is energized to move the carriage from its rear or retracted position forwardly to advance the rotating brushes through the container passage to clean glass and other foreign material from the passage. The carriage is then retracted and, following such retraction, the shaft and brushes are moved up out of the path of movement of the press parts.

As a further feature of the invention, an arm is swingably mounted on the tracks or one of the upper tie rods for movement in a plane perpendicular to the press axis and just in advance of the outer end of the ram in the latters retracted position. The outer end of this arm carries a shield which, in the lowered position of the arm, fits over the outer end of the ram in somewhat spaced relation thereto to deflect the stream of coolant from the ram into the pit of the press. To operate this arm, the shaft bearing supporting arms of the carriage have mounted thereon a rearwardly projecting member which, when the carriage is retracted, is projected beneath and behind the shield carrying arm. Thereby, when the shaft is retracted upwardly out of the way of the press components, the shield and its arm are like wise and correspondingly restricted. Similarly, when the shaft is dropped into its container cleaning position, the shield and its arm are released to move downwardly to shield the outer end of the ram.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of an extrusion press and associated billet and extrusion handling and processing components; v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view of the invention apparatus in the operative position, the press container, upper tie rod, and ram being shown in broken. lines;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the invention apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of the invention apparatus in the operative position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of the rotatable shaft carrying the cleaning brushes;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of a modified form of brush holder; and

Fig. 7 is an end view, with parts omitted, of the brush holder shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1, an extrusion press 10 is illustrated as including a front platen 11, a rear platen l2 rigidly tied to platen 11 by tie rods such as 13, a container 14 having limited longitudinal movement relative to the platens, a die carrier 15 movable into and out of front platen 11, and a ram assembly 16 having a ram 17 projectable into container 14. The billets are heated to a high temperature, such as 2300 F. in the case of steel, in a preferably rotary heating means 20. The billets are charged into heating means 20 and extracted therefrom by suitable billet handling device 21. This device deposits the heated billets onto a transfer car 22 operating on tracks 23, which carries the billet into alignment with passage 24 of container 14 and ejects them into the passage.

Ram 17 is then projected into passage 24 to engage the billet and force it, under high pressure, through a die 35 mounted on the rear face of carrier 15 and held thereby against the exit end of container passage 24, carrier 15 being locked into forward platen 11 and thus held against movement relative to the two platens 11 and 12. Following the extrusion movement of the ram, the latter is withdrawn and container 14 moved rear- Wardly a short distance away from front platen 11. The extrusion is then severed between the container and front platen, after which container 14 is moved forwardly and the extrusion withdrawn by runout table and conveyor 26. Ram 17 is then moved into container 14 to eject the severed end, or discard, of the extrusion, this discard moving into platen 11 and falling into a suitable receptacle.

Meanwhile, conveyor 26 moves the extrusion forwardly beneath a saw 27. The latter severs the extrusion into the required handling lengths and the cut sections are moved forwardly against a stop 28. At this point, a pusher 29 moves the sections laterally from conveyor 26 onto skids 31 for storage or further handling.

After each extrusion, and before a fresh billet is loaded into the container passage 24, this passage must be cleaned of foreign material, such as adhering glass lubricant, scale, and the like. At the same time, the ram 17 is cooled from its relatively elevated temperature resulting from the extrusion stroke. The present invention is designed to rapidly and efliciently effect such cleaning while, at the same time, providing a shield for coolant discharged from the end of the now retracted ram 17.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, a track structure generally indicated at 30 is supported on a pair of upper tie rods 13 and serves as support and guiding means for the carriage 40 of the cleaning mechanism. Track structure 30 includes a pair of angle irons 31, 31, each welded at spaced points along their length to removable circular clamps 32, each arranged to be secured to embracingly grip a tie rod 13. The upper or horizontal leg of each angle iron has Welded or otherwise secured therealong a flat plate 34, and each plate 34 has secured therealong, near its outer edge, an elongated rectangular bar 36 or 37, the bar 37 being somewhat narrower than the bar 36 for a purpose to be described. At the end of each bar 36 or 37, nearest the container 14, a chock block 38 is secured to the bar. Along its inner edge, each plate 34 has a rack 39, racks 39 extending from the rear ends of the plates for about two-thirds of the plate lengths.

The carriage 40 is substantially rectangular in form and comprises a structural framework generally indicated at 41. Adjacent its end nearest container 14, framework 41 has stub axles 42 projecting therefrom and rotatably.

supporting carriage wheels 43 and 43. Adjacent its other end, the framework supports a transversely extending driving axle 44 on the projecting ends of which are secured wheels 46 and 46. The wheels 43 and 46, which ride along bar 36, have flat peripheries, whereas wheels 43 and 46, which engage bar 37, have flanged peripheries, with the flanges extending on either side of bar 37 and thus maintaining the lateral relation of carriage 40 to track structure 30. Axle 44 has secured thereto a spur gear 47 meshing with the pinion 48 of a carriage driving motor 45 mounted on framework 41. Driving of the carriage is effected by pinions 49 keyed or otherwise secured to axle 44 adjacent wheels 46, 46 and meshed with racks 39. By the cooperation of the pinions 49 and the racks 39, precise positioning movement of the carriage 40 relative to container 14 is efiected. Furthermore, with the driving being effected by the rack and pinion means, wheels 46, 46' need not necessarily be secured to rotate with shaft 44 but may be rotatable relative thereto.

An intermediate driving shaft 51 is rotatably supported in suitable hearings in brackets 52 depending from carriage 40, shaft 51 extending longitudinally of the carriage and adjacent the left side thereof as viewed in Fig. 4. Shaft 51 projects forwardly beyond brackets 52 and suitable bearings thereon support a sleeve 53 telescoped over shaft 51. This sleeve has projecting radially therefrom a pair of longitudinally spaced tubular arms 54 connected, at their free ends, to a tubular sleeve 55, the arms 54 being interconnected intermediate their ends by a cross brace 56. The rearward arm 54 carries an ear 57 to which is pivotally connected the outer end of a piston rod 58 forming part of a piston-cylinder actuator 60 mounted in spaced trunnion mountings 61 on framework 41. Operation of actuator 60 raises and lowers the arms 54 and the connected sleeve 55.

Referring to Fig. 5, sleeve 55 has secured in each end thereof an anti-friction bearing 62, these bearings rotatably supporting a shaft 65 extending forwardly beyond sleeve 55. A closure plate 63 is engaged with the forward bearing 62 and has secured thereto a protective sleeve 64 embracing the projecting portion of shaft 65. The forward end of sleeve 64 extends within a collar 66 which supports an anti-friction bearing 67 engaged with shaft 65. Shaft 65 has a reduced diameter forward extension 68 to which is secured a cylindrical support 70. Support 70 is secured to rotate with shaft 65 by a key 71 and is held thereon by a nut 72 threaded on the forward end of extension 68. The support 70 carries a series of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced brushes 75 detachably secured to the support by studs 76. The length and relative disposition of arms 54 is such that, in the lowered position of sleeve 55, shaft 65 is axially aligned with passage 24 of container 14.

The shaft 65 is rotated in the following manner. A pulley secured to the rear end of shaft 51 is driven by belts 77' from the driving pulley 77 of 'a motor 80 mounted on framework 41. Intermediate its ends, shaft 51 has secured thereto a second pulley 81 connected by belts 82 to drive a pulley 83 on the rearward end of shaft 65.

As previously stated, the invention also includes shielding or deflecting means disposable over the outer end of ram 17 to deflect coolant discharged therefrom. For this purpose, an angle bracket 86 depends from the left hand angle bar 31 (Fig. 4) and carries spaced ears 87 rotatably supporting a shaft 88. Swingably mounted on shaft 88 is a rectangular cross section tubular arm 91 having clampingly secured to its outer end a shield 90. This shield comprises a substantially semi-circular plate having a perpendicular flange extending around its curvilinear periphery and projecting rearwardly therefrom. The clamping means 93 holds shield 90 on arm 91 in such relation that, in the operative position of the shield shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the shield has its straight edge extending horizontally and is aligned over the end of the ram 17. The shield 90 is moved by gravity into its operative position and is retracted therefrom simultaneously with retraction of the cleaning mechanism. For this purpose, an arm or pin 94 is mounted through the arms 54 and has a bent portion 95 projecting rearwardly from the rearward arm 54 and beneath the shield arm 91.

The operation of the described cleaning apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description. When the discard has been ejected from passage 24 and ram 17 has been withdrawn, the extrusion press operator actuates controls which initiate the supply of coolant through ram 17, and conditions actuator 60 to lower arms 54 and sleeve 55 to the position of Figs. 2 and 4. At the same time, motor 80 is energized to move the carriage forwardly to advance the rotating brushes through container passage 24 to dislodge foreign material from the surface thereof. After the brushes have been moved completely through passage 24, motor 45 is reversed to retract carriage 40.

When the cleaning mechanism was lowered, the arm 91 was dropped to move shield 90 over the end of ram 17 to deflect the coolant discharged therefrom. As the rearwardly moving carriage 40 retracts the rotating brushes 75 from passage 24, section 95 of pin 94 is projected beneath arm 91. When the carriage reaches its rearward limit of movement, motors 45 and 30 are de-energized and actuator 60 is energized to retract arms 54 and sleeve 55 out of the path of movement of the press components. During such retraction, the pin 94 lifts arm 91 to retract the shield 90. If desired, the entire cycle of operation may be automatically performed responsive to operation of a cycle initiating control, as through the use of suitable cooperating limiting switches and the like.

In the modified brush mounting arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the brushes are so mounted as to have relatively greater displacement for accommodating irregularities in the surface of the container passage 24. The body 170 of the brush holder is formed with a square outer periphery and has a passage to receive the extension 68 of shaft 65, this passage having a keyway to receive the key 71. Adjacent its inner end, the body 170 is formed with pairs of laterally spaced ears 171, each pair projecting from a surface of the body. These ears receive pintles or studs 172 serving as pivots for straps 173 extending along each outer surface of the body and having turned over ends 174 receiving the hinged pintles 172. Each brush 75 is mounted on the free end of a strap 173. Headed studs 176 extend through enlarged holes 177 in straps 173 and are threaded into the body 170. These studs limit outward movement of the straps 173.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a metal extrusion press including front and rear platens secured in accurately spaced relation by tie rods, a container associated with said front platen and having a billet receiving passage therein extending longitudinally of the press, a tubular ram projectable from the rear platen axially through such passage, and a source of liquid coolant associated with the ram for flow of coolant therethrough and discharge from the forward end of the ram; a support mounted on the tie rods for movement longitudinally of the press toward and away from the container; a cleaning device mounted on said support for movement thereby into the container passage; means operable to move said device between a position aligned with the container passage and between the platens and a retracted position in which said device is out of the path of movement of the ram; shielding means supported on a tie rod for swinging movement in a plane perpendicular to the ram axis and just in advance of the forward end of the ram in the retracted position of the latter, said shielding means being movable between a position shielding the forward end of the ram to deflect the discharged coolant and a retracted position; and means on said device engaged with said shielding means when said support is moved away from the container to retract said shielding means upon retraction of said device.

2. In combination with a metal extrusion press including front and rear platens secured in accurately spaced relation by tie rods, a container associated with said front platen and having a billet receiving passage therein extending longitudinally of the press, and a ram projectable from the rear platen axially through such passage; rails mounted on a pair of the tie rods above the ram; a wheeled carriage movable along said rails; driving means on said carriage operable to move the same between an advanced position adjacent the container and a retracted position adjacent the retracted position of the ram; a cleaning device mounted on said carriage for movement thereby into the container passage; and means on said carriage operable to move said device between a position aligned with the container passage and between the platens and a retracted position in which said device is out of the path of movement of the ram.

3. In combination with a metal extrusion press including front and rear platens secured in accurately spaced relation by tie rods, a container associated with said front platen and having a billet receiving passage therein extending longitudinally of the press, and a ram projectable from the rear platen axially through such passage; rails mounted on a pair of the tie rods above the ram; a wheeled carriage movable along said rails; driving means on said carriage operable to move the same between an advanced position adjacent the container and a retracted position adjacent the retracted position of the ram; a rotary cleaning device mounted on said carriage for movement thereby into the container passage; means on said carriage operable to move said device between a position aligned with the container passage and between the platens and a retracted position in which said device is out of the path of movement of the ram; and second driving means on said carriage operatively connected to said device to rotate the same.

4. in combination with a metal extrusion press including front and rear platens secured in accurately spaced relation by tie rods, a container associated with said front platen and having a billet receiving passage therein extending longitudinally of the press, and a ram projectable from the rear platen axially through such passage; rails mounted on a pair of the tie rods above the ram; a wheeled carriage movable along said rails; driving means on said carriage operable to move the same between an advanced position adjacent the container and a retracted position adjacent the retracted position of the ram; a pair of arms swingably mounted on said carriage in spaced relation longitudinally of the press; a sleeve interconnecting the free ends of said arms; a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve and projecting toward the container; cleaning means secured on the outer end of said shaft; second driving means on said carriage operatively connected to said shaft to rotate the same; and actuator means on said carriage connected to said arms to move said shaft between a position aligned with the container passage and between the platens and a retracted position out of the path of ram movement.

5. In combination with a metal extrusion press including front and rear platens secured in accurately spaced relation by tie rods, a container associated with said front platen and having a billet receiving passage therein extending longitudinally of the press, and a ram projectable from the rear platen axially through such passage; rails mounted on a pair of the tie rods above the ram; a wheeled carriage movable along said rails; rack means extending along said track; pinion means on said carriage engaged with said rack means; driving means on said carriage connected to said pinion means to move the carriage between an advanced position adjacent the container and a retracted position adjacent the retracted position of the ram; a pair of arms swingably mounted on said car riage in spaced relation longitudinally of the press; a sleeve interconnecting the free ends of said arms; a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve and projecting toward the container; cleaning means secured on the outer end of said shaft; second driving means on said carriage operatively connected to said shaft to rotate the same; and actuator means on said carriage connected to said arms to move said shaft between a position aligned with the container passage and between the platens and a retracted position out of the path of ram movement.

6. In combination with a metal extrusion press including front and rear platens secured in accurately spaced relation by tie rods, a container associated with said front platen and having a billet receiving passage therein extending longitudinally of the press, a tubular ram projectable from the rear platen axially through such passage, and

a source of liquid coolant associated with the ram for flow of coolant therethrough and discharge from the forward end of the ram; rails mounted on a pair of the tie rods above the ram; a wheeled carriage movable along said rails; rack means extending along said track; pinion means tudinally of the press; a sleeve interconnecting the free ends of said arms; a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve and projecting toward the container; cleaning means secured on the outer end of said shaft; second driving means on said carriage operatively connected to said shaft to rotate the same; actuator means on said carriage connected to said arms to move said shaft between a position aligned with the container passage and between the platens and a retracted position out of the path of ram movement; an elongated element supported on a tie rod for swinging movement in a plane perpendicular to the ram axis and just in advance of the forward end of the ram in the retracted position of the latter; a shield on the free end of said element, said shield being movable between a position shielding the forward end of the ram to deflect the discharged coolant and a retracted position; and means on the rearward arm engageable with said elongated element, in the retracted position of said carriage, to retract said shielding means upon retraction of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 629,080 Keenan July 18, 1899 632,532 Marwort Sept. 5, 1899 996,864- Kroll July 4, 1911 1,118,080 Uno Nov. 24, 1914 1,337,682 Woolson Apr. 20, 1920 2,231,761 Hill Feb. 11, 1941 2,388,558 Loewy Nov. 6, 1945 2,462,313 Freeman Feb. 22, 1949 

